Abstract

The research examined the television programming and viewers preferences with a study of NTA viewers in Lagos particularly in five major strategic locations within the Lagos metropolis i.e Oshodi, Ojota, Ikeja, Mushin/Ladipo and Yaba/Akoka. The study is anchored on perception theory, uses and gratification theory and source credibility theory especially as it is obvious that people use the media for the different purpose that suit their gratifications and that no two people use the media same way and purpose whereas people also selectively expose themselves to some programmes and not others.  The research used survey research method coupled with 200 copies of questionnaires that were administered to respondents in Lagos from which 178 copies were correctly filled and analysed using frequency and percentage table method with SPSS version 20. Findings show that majority of the respondents (80.8%) watch NTA programmes on a regular basis, spending at least 1-6 hours watching which is still at on the average. It is further shown that a substantial number of the respondents watch news, movies and sport on television.  The respondents are light viewers who watched mostly at home, office/shop and hotel/bar or restaurants.  It is recommended that NTA and other broadcast media outfits should from time to time review their programme and carry out audience survey on their programmes to know the perception of the audience since the essence of a programme is the attention paid to it by the audience.